'Don't Breathe 2' Review
R: Strong bloody violence, gruesome images, and language
Runtime: 1 hr and 38 Minutes
Production Companies: Stage 6 Films, Ghost House Pictures, Bad Hombre
Distributor: Screen Gems
Director: Rodo Sayagues
Writer: Fede Álvarez, Rodo Sayagues
Cast: Stephen Lang, Brendan Sexton III, Madelyn Grace
Release Date: August 13, 2021
Theaters Only
Norman Nordstrom (Stephen Lang) was underestimated by everyone because of his blindness: he revealed an unflinching will to survive and get what he wants… but also a monstrous, evil side of his personality, as nothing – no person or conscience – will stand in his way. Now, in Don’t Breathe 2, eight years later, Nordstrom lives with 11-year-old Phoenix; he has recreated the family that was stolen from him by a drunk driver and has found the twisted justice he's always felt was his due. When intruders once again come to his home, this time focused on Phoenix, Norman will reveal for a second time what's hidden inside him… and again, it will be in new and unexpected ways.
Out of all the sequels I was hesitant to watch this year, Don’t Breathe 2 had to be at the top of the list. It’s a sequel entirely focused on Norman Nordstrom, the primary antagonist of the first film. He’s a man who did some heinous shit, from murder to abduction to rape, and you want us to root for him in a solo feature as an anti-hero? It’s a hard pill to swallow, but writers Fede Álvarez and Rodo Sayagues (who also co-wrote the first feature together) didn't switch up the role of Norman. If anything, this sequel positions Norman as a Mother Gothel type — if Mother Gothel was a blind man and had the abilities of friggin’ Daredevil –– to a little girl named Phoenix (Madelyn Grace), whom he found in a house fire and raised as his own. If there’s one thing the old blind man wanted since that predecessor it was a new daughter. Now he has one and he’s taking this second chance to be the father he always wanted to be… no matter how much of his monstrous past he has to hide. But when home invaders try to take back the only person he calls family, that monster must be unleashed once again.
Despite how you may feel towards the character he portrays, Stephen Lang is an absolute beast as the old blind man who is so irresistible to watch. You can’t keep your eyes off him even though you’re not particularly rooting for him. When the first Don’t Breathe was making the rounds at advanced screenings, Stephen Lang was so close to the promotion that he would explain how he bulked up to portray this character. Lang is approaching 70 years old and while his character speaks with such a frail, raspy voice, he is agile, swift, and built like a horse to kick your ass. This is Stephen Lang’s action vehicle and — as much as I hate to say it because of Norman’s prior actions — he rules.
With Don’t Breathe 2, Fede Álvarez let Rodo Sayagues take the director’s chair. This is Sayagues’ debut and from a directorial standpoint, he takes this entry to new heights. For an action-thriller, there is some great cinematography to immerse you in this anxiety-inducing experience, whether it be the amazing camerawork or having grim-colored backgrounds that are visually impressive. As sequels go, action set pieces are larger, more elaborate, bloodier, more brutal, meticulously crafted, and visually immersive enough to make this a bigger effort than the predecessor and it’s entertaining as hell. There’s a notable tracking shot of Phoenix hiding from the hostile invaders that lasts several minutes and it’s so masterfully crafted, gripping, and intense that by the time it’s done you just have to applaud.
While most of the film takes place at Norm’s house like the predecessor, it plays with multiple baddies who pose a bigger threat to Norm to raise the stakes for him. This entry is not just a single-set thriller. Essentially, this sequel sees Lang having to go all Kevin-McAllister-meets-Daredevil with the invaders, and much like Daredevil, you see him genuinely struggle while trying to survive. That being said, this narrative cheaply fumbles the ball to make the audience root for a man they didn’t want to root for.
While Don’t Breathe 2 is an entertaining sequel that Stephen Lang thoroughly shines in, the predecessor’s twist involves him being a turkey-basting rapist and abductor. So, this redemption arc is a bit difficult for audiences to ride along with. I find it cheap that in order to make the audience root for a monstrous character, they added characters who are even MORE monstrous than him. The invaders are so evil that they straight-up murder his only acquaintance and his dog. Álvarez and Sayagues’ script tries way too hard to make everything around Norman more cruel and unjust than him so the audience can play into their hands. I understand that Norman is haunted by his past actions and wants to bury the lede for the sake of Phoenix, but when the most notable detail of his past comes to light, it’s brushed over and arrives a bit too late. Heck, the relationship he shares with the kid is so ill conceived. There’s no love he shows for her aside from protection. I made the Mother Gothel comparison but at least she put up a good facade. I love a narrative about a flawed soul atoning for their sins, but Norm was already a soul so rotten that it’s completely unforgivable. The ensemble from the first movie weren’t angels by any means because… well, they were robbing his house. But once again, he abducted a woman and raped her with his sperm. Seriously, I can look past the murder but I have to draw the line at rape. Sorry, but if the old blind man wasn’t a turkey-basting rapist, I would’ve been less reluctant to ride along with his redemption journey.
There’s a minor detail that I don’t want to fully go into because it’s a bit spoilery, but throughout the first half of the film, the invaders are set on murdering Phoenix even though it’s revealed later on that she needed to be alive, for she played an integral part in the leader Raylan’s (Brendan Sexton III) history and scheme. I’m questioning why Raylan's crew attempted to murder the kid ample times when she’s the reason they invaded in the first place. Yeah, the writing isn’t as strong as the first time around. In all honesty, it’s pretty weak if not borderline terrible.
Despite it all, Don’t Breathe 2 is an entertaining summer thriller. There’s a clear level of craftsmanship and effort used to make this film more visually outstanding and violent than the predecessor. Unfortunately, it desperately emphasizes a tale of redemption with an already irredeemable character. It’s a matter of your perspective and morality to decide if Norman’s arc is executed well. For me, it doesn’t come together. But hey, it’s still sort of cool to see Stephen Lang kick ass and pretend he can’t see a damn thing, I guess.
